“At the market outside Mammon’s estate,” I say. “I’m hoping there’s lodging in the area. If possible, I’ll get a room that overlooks the front gates.”
David clears his throat. “If we don’t hear from you after two months, we’ll come looking.”
“Don’t do that,” I say. I pointedly look David up and down. “You wouldn’t survive a day in Greed. You’re too pretty.”
Valeria snorts out a laugh, and I know my joke’s landed. She never finds me funny, so this is a rare victory. She zips up my suitcase, and I hesitate. I hate goodbyes, always have and always will, so I teleport to Lust’s border before Valeria or David can begin theirs.
There are a few places where Greed and Wrath touch, but it’s easiest to cross the border from Lust. David’s kingdom isn’t as heavily monitored as Wrath, and after weeks of research, I found the perfect spot. It’s far from Greed’s capital, but it’s the best way of getting in undetected.
The tree-lined border is unprotected, and I pull the black sludge out of my bag with a quiet huff. Here we go. I throw back a healthy swig. My body immediately hurts.
I shake out my limbs, taking a minute to adjust, before crossing the border into Greed. Mammon better count her fucking days.
Chapter Seven
CASSIA
IT TAKES THREE and a half days to reach the capital of Greed.
If I weren’t slowed by the power-dulling tonic, I estimate it would take half the time. I wouldn’t have to stop nearly as often to rest, and my pace wouldn’t be so damned sluggish.
My arms burn with exhaustion from dragging my suitcase behind me, and the muscles in my thighs aren’t much better. I haven’t felt this shitty since childhood. It took years to develop my power, but when it finally arrived, it grew quickly.
I travel through several small towns on my way to the capital, and nobody spares me a second glance. They see nothing more than a weak demon, way beneath their station and not worth a conversation or a smile.
They’d be running away if they knew who I truly am. The few who have refused to step out of my way, forcing me to concede and make way for them, would be bending over backward to keep me happy. They’d be terrified of making me angry.
Aziel is frequently rumored to enjoy ripping out hearts, and most assume I harbor the same fascination. I don’t, and I think the rumors surrounding Aziel are drastically overblown. I’ve never seen him so much asthreatento kill somebody, let alone rip out their heart.
It’s damn near impossible to imagine him doing something so dramatic and, frankly, uncouth. What message would that send to his children? To me? He would never. He’s so fucking boring.
I’m miserable by the time I reach the capital, and I’m desperate for a warm meal and a soft bed. There were a few rooms available to rent along the way, but they were rodent-infested. That would never happen within Wrath.
We take pride in our kingdom, and that pride extends to our small towns. They’re well-kept and clean, but I’m not surprised to learn that Greed operates differently.
The sprawling market within the capital is easy enough to find. Mammon’s castle is built into the side of a tall mountain, and I follow it until I reach the market. It’s in a busy neighborhood. There are dozens of vendors and hundreds of Greeds hurrying about, but my attention is captured by the castle looming above me.
The dark, stone monstrosity is carved into the top third of the mountain, high above and glaringly domineering. Mammon looks down at her people in every way.
From where I stand, I can see most of the front façade. Her home is three stories tall, and large, black spires jut out from both ends. They look like they’re bursting out of the mountain themselves, and I assume they’re filled with armed guards.
I probably have several long-range weapons pointed at my chest at this very moment.
I puff up my cheeks, continuing to stare up at the castle before me. It’ll be hard to get in. There’s a tall, iron gate wrapped around the front of the mountain, and the leveled path leading to the front entrance is narrow. There’s no sneaking inside. If I want to get close to Mammon, I’ll have to be invited.
I don’t suspect that’s an easy task.
Another minute passes before I force myself to turn away. I can’t stare at the estate for too long, not without drawing unwanted attention.
I scan the neighborhood beyond Mammon’s estate, eyeing the Greeds shuffling about. The market is busy, and I carefully monitor the movements, style, and mannerisms of the Greeds. The people are noticeably quieter than Wraths, barely even making eye contact or acknowledging the existence of the person in front of them.
It’s depressing.
Still, I need to imitate them. I need to blend in. Mammon’s borders have been closed for years, and there are no exceptions.
I managed to scrounge up some outdated maps of Mammon’s kingdom during my research, and I’ve memorized the names and locations of several cities. If anybody asks, I’ll claim to be from one of them.
The emotion regulation retreat ends in six and a half days, at which point I assume my parents will discover my absence. I’d like to believe David and Valeria will keep my whereabouts a secret, but David can’t lie. He gets anxious when Aziel and Silas release the full extent of their power, which they’ll undoubtedly do.
